Ravi Shastri, the former coach of India has snubbed Jasprit Bumrah and Rahul Dravid in his list of best five Indian cricketers. Bumrah developed into the best bowler under Shastri and Dravid is regarded as one of the best bowlers in India during test matches.
Ravi Shastri chose Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev from the list. During India’s successful World Cup campaign in 1983, they both shared a dressing room with Ravi Shastri. Shastri has also shared commentary duties with Gavaskar and Dev.
The old all-rounder included the great Sachin Tendulkar to his list. Yet Tendulkar has still got the record for the highest ever scoring run in the world cricket. Ravi Shastri chose two former India skippers for his last pick – MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli. Dhoni leads in wins as captain in the shorter game formats, while Kohli tops that in the longer Test matches.
“Definitely Gavaskar will start. Kapil, Sachin, Virat definitely. I am looking at the most influential players of their era. MS again. Bumrah is still got cricket. So the five will be Sunny, Kapil, Sachin, Dhoni and Virat,” Shastri said on an episode of ‘Stick to Cricket’.
Ravi Shastri kept Tendulkar at the top of the list because of his longevity and the strain of expectations that he had to deal with. The 63-year-old also noted that the Master Blaster had to deal with some of the most formidable speed attacks during his career.
Ravi Shastri Names the Biggest Rivalry in World Cricket
People asked Ravi Shastri what he thinks is the biggest rivalry in cricket. He said back in his playing days, the matches between India and Pakistan were the absolute best and most exciting.
However, in the last decade according to him the competition between India and Australia has truly picked up. A Test match in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar series at MCG is the largest crowd attendance at a Test in Australia.
“In the years I have played, India-Pakistan. The interest it generates from the outside, massive. Having said that, I think in the last ten years, India-Australia has taken up. India, England, and Australia have had some fantastic series. We got more crowds in during the Boxing Day Test at the MCG this time. The highest number of people that came in since Bradman’s team in 1936. People come in from all parts.”
Ravi Shastri
